An IC socket to removably hold an IC package, which is an “electrical component,” has been known heretofore as an electrical component socket of this kind (see Patent Literature 1).
The IC package is commonly referred to as a gull-wing type, in which a plurality of IC leads to serve as “terminals” stick out sideways from two opposing sides of a package body having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.
Meanwhile, as for the IC socket, an accommodating part for accommodating the IC package is formed in the socket body. Furthermore, in the IC socket, a plurality of contact pins that contact the IC leads of the IC package are provided. Each contact pin has a movable contact piece and a fixed contact piece. In the movable contact piece, a movable contact part that contacts and separates from an upper surface of an IC lead is formed. Likewise, in the fixed contact piece, furthermore, a fixed contact part that contacts and separates from the lower surface of an IC lead is formed.
In the socket body, an operating member is provided such that operating member can move up and down. By moving the operating member downward against the bias of the movable contact piece of a contact pin, in a cam part of the operating member, the operating piece of the movable contact piece of the contact pin is pushed outward.
By this means, the spring part of the movable contact piece of the contact pin deforms elastically, and, consequently, the movable contact part is separated from the IC lead, and the operating member rises upward. As a result, by the elasticity of the spring part, the movable contact part returns and contacts the upper surface of the IC lead, so that the IC lead is sandwiched between the movable contact part and the fixed contact part, and the contact pin and the IC lead are electrically connected.